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. LATCH.

No. 353,025. Patented Nmh'ZS, 1886.

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LATU No. 353,025. P-atentedNov. 23, 1886.

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' NITED STATES PATENT O FICE.

' JOHN H. GRANT, HENRY C. GOODSPEED, AND THEODORE M. FOOTE, OF BOS- TON, MASSAOHUSETTS; SAID GRANT ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO SAID GOODSPEED AND FOOTE,-AND FRANKLIN REED,

OF BATH, MAINE. a

LATCH,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 353.025, dated November 23, 1886.

Application filed September 24, 1886. Serial No. 214,405.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that we, J OHN H.GRANT, HENRY O. GOODSPEED, and THEODORE M. FOOTE, all 1 of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State 5 of Massachusetts, citizens of the United States; have invented a new and useful Improvement in Latches, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forminga part of this specification, in explaining its nature.

The invention relates especially to a latch adapted for use in fastening or securing doors or other similar devices which require to be I held quite tightlyin place-such, for instance,

asarelrigerator-door; andit comprisesaswinging arm having a pivot or stud by which it is fastened to a holding-plate provided with a handle and with alatch bar; also a catch which comprises, preferably, two lugs or projections extending from a common fastening and holding block having tapering or wedge-shaped surfaces and a latch-engaging catch, also hav ing a wedge-shaped orinclined surface,.a notch 2 5 or recess, and a thumb-piece or.-,.knob, said catch pivoted to the block or blocks, adapted to be moved by the engagement of the latch therewith and to automatically engage the i latch and hold it after it has been brought in contact with the inclined surfaces of the block or blocks and moved thereon to close the door.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 isa view in perspective of a part of a door-jamb and door with our latch in place thereon. Fig. 2

5 is a view in perspective showing the latch so arranged that the handle thereof will fall by gravity upon its release. Fig. 3 is a view, partly in horizontal section and partly in elevation, of our saidimprovement. Fig. a is a 0 view principally in vertical section through the catch-member of the device.

A represents one member of the latch, and B the other member. Preferably the member A is secured to a stationary jamb or part, and

the member B to the door or movable part to be fastened.

The part A comprises the plate a, having screw-holes afor the reception of the screws first, to push inward the catch to release the (No model.)

fastening it in place, the headed standard or post a, and the swinging arm of, which is pivoted upon said post or stud and secured to the plate thereby, and has a stop, a, adapted to come in contact with the stationary stops a upon the said plate a, the extension at, which forms the handle, and the section al, which forms the latching part. It is desirable for ordinary purposes that thelatch-handle be placed so that it shall extend upward from the stud or post and be brought or moved downward to engage the catch, and when this is the case weprefer to use a spring, a for automatically turning the'latch-handle from a horizontal to a verticalposition upon the release of the catch. If, however, the arrangement shown in Fig. 2' is employedthatis, a construction which permits the latch-handle to be moved upward to engage the catch-then the latch-handle will need no spring upon the release of the catch, as

it will drop/by gravity to the desired position.

The second member, B, of the latch or fastening devices comprises a plate, I), having screwholes b for the reception of fastening-screws b the blocks b extending'from said plate and having rounded, curved, or'inclined surfaces 1), the catch b which has inclined or rounded surfaces b, the notch or recess b the handle or arm b and the foot I). It is pivoted to the blocks b? by the pivot b so that the foot I) shall project upon the outer surface .of the plate, and the surface of the latch be substantially parallel with the surfaces of the blocks b at the end of the inclined or rounded sections. This will, of course, bring a section of the catch above the surfaces of these blocks. The catch is also pivoted so as to be moved 85 downward or inward against the pressure of a spring, b, which constantly acts to push or I throw the catch part outward and keep the foot in contact with the plate, so that after the swinging arm rides over the surfaces of the blocks b depressing or moving inward'the catch, upon reaching the notch or recess 12" the catch is'immediately moved outward, so that the swinging arm is held engaged thereby.

The arm or handle 7) serves two purposes:

swinging arm, and, second, as a handle by which the door or other part to which the catch is secured may be moved.

When desired, a lock of any suitable construction can be placed in or upon the member B so that its bolt shall operate to lock the catch after it has engaged the swinging arm.

Of course itis not necessary to use two blocks, Z), as one will answer; but the use of two provides an opportunity for a stronger and more durable construction; but we do not limit ourselves to the use of two.

It will be seen that a latch of this general form of construction is very desirable, in that it provides means for moving the door or other moving part to its seat by the employment of the wedgasha'ped or inclined surfa-ces before it latches; also, that the swinging arm is automatically engaged with the catch when the door has been brought or moved into proper position; also, that by moving the catch inward the swinging arm is disengaged; also, that the catch and operating arm or handle also serve as the handle or knob of the door or other part.

It is obvious that this form of construction can be used not only for refrigerator and other doors, but for gates, covers, or in any swinging part which requires to be fastened to a.

fixedor stationary part.

Having thus fully described our invention, we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States-- of a plate, a, a post or stud, a", supporting a swinging arm, a comprising a handle, a", a latching part, a, with the stops (0, and spring a substantially as described.

3. The member of a1atch,com rising a plate, U

12, having one or more blocks, I), provided with rounded, inclined, or tapering surfaces, the catch b pivoted thereto, and spring b, substantially as described.

4. The member ofalatch,comprisingaplate, I), having one or more blocks, I), provided with rounded, inclined, or tapering surfaces, the catch Z), pivoted thereto, having the arm or handle b", substantially as described.

JOHN H. GRANT. HENRY O. GOODSPEED. THEODORE M. FOOTE.

In prcsen ce of- F. F. RAYMOND, 2d, FRED. B. DOLAN. 

